Electrical current sensors are frequently installed upon electrical transmission or distribution lines in regional power grids to support power line monitoring and other power management activities. In modern designs, the current sensor electronics, as well as means for communicating with the grid operator and other device components, are contained within a housing that is mounted upon the electrical transmission or distribution line itself, rather than upon substation equipment, a utility tower or pole, or other power grid infrastructure. The mounting mechanism may vary from simple retaining ties (analogous to the well-known ‘zip tie’) to gated hanger mechanisms (analogous to carabiners) to single-adjustable-jaw and paired-adjustable-jaw clamp mechanisms. With some mounting mechanisms, the current sensor device must be positioned and mounted essentially by hand. With other mounting mechanisms, the device may be positioned and mounted using tools configured to engage portions of the device and mounting mechanism.
Frequently, current sensor devices are installed upon preexisting power distribution lines serving the households, businesses, and infrastructure within a distinct service area. As a result, it is inconvenient, if not practically impossible, to depower the distribution line prior to installing the device. Line workers must manipulate the mounting mechanism while wearing specialized, heavy attire such as insulated gloves and sleeves, or by using insulated stand-off tools such as a so-called ‘hot stick.’ Current sensor devices incorporating gated hanger mechanisms may be installed using only a hot stick, but these mounting mechanisms tend to be disfavored because they do not secure the device against rotation around the distribution line. Such devices may behave like a pendulum, appearing less ‘secure’ when buffeted by the wind, requiring more careful consideration concerning positioning (to maintain necessary line-to-line clearances), and requiring more careful design to account for environmental factors such as condensation and drainage from the housing. Current sensor devices incorporating clamp mechanisms, on the other hand, frequently require multiple tools and/or multiple separate manipulative steps (on different portions of the device and mechanism) in order to position, clamp, and, where necessary, close the device during installation. Although some known devices may be positioned and clamped from below using a single stand-off tool, the configuration and orientation of the clamp jaw openings tend to block insertion of a distribution line from below—i.e., to prevent the clamp mechanism from being raised over and then rested upon the distribution line—and/or to allow the clamp mechanism and device to shift or simply fall away from the distribution line absent a positive effort to hold or otherwise bias the clamp mechanism against the distribution line.